March known quantity for Amsterdam

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown wasn’t sure what to expect from March in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont on June 6. Neither were the bettors.

Sent off at 10-1, March rallied from just off the pace to beat Cinco Charlie by a nose for his second straight graded stakes score. In April, he won the Grade 3 Bay Shore.

“On paper, it looked like his numbers were behind the other ones,” Brown said when asked about his feelings on March entering the Woody Stephens. “We gave him the opportunity to step up, and he did. You have to respect that about the horse.”

March looks like he could be the favorite Saturday in the Amsterdam, a 6 1/2-furlong race that serves as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 King’s Bishop here Aug. 29.

He will meet a group that includes Barbados, Bluegrass Singer, Requite, The Great War, and Victory Is Sweet.

Imagining returns to Saratoga

Imagining, beaten a head by Main Sequence in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational last year, returns Saturday to the Saratoga turf in a competitive renewal of the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Handicap at 1 3/8 miles.

Typically run at Belmont Park, the Bowling Green was moved to Saratoga this year to serve as a prep for the Grade 1 Sword Dancer, which has been moved back on the calendar to Aug. 29.

Imagining, the winner of the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont in 2014, has a win and two seconds over the Saratoga turf. On Monday, he fired a bullet half-mile breeze on the grass, going in 46.78 seconds, the fastest of 37 moves at the distance.

Imagining drew post 3 and will be ridden by John Velazquez.

He will face a group that includes Red Rifle, War Dancer, Iron Power, Morning Calm, Golden Soul, Innovation Economy, Dramedy, and Al Khali.